Friends, family mourn death of Fall River teen in Easton crash

EASTON – Standing at the foot of the crash site where his youngest son lost his life, Brian Reed shook his head in disbelief.

That scene near 484 Bay Road shows a maple tree with torn bark, splinters of wood and a pile of broken glass on the side of the winding road.

It’s where Easton Police said Jonathan Reed, 18, of Fall River was driving south on Bay Road around 9 p.m. Tuesday night when he lost control of his 1998 Honda Civic and hit the tree.

“He was the youngest of my five sons,” said Brian Reed Wednesday. Reed, who lives in Berkley, said the police called him Tuesday night. Jonathan Reed died at the scene. “He just got an apartment in Fall River,” Reed said.

There is a set of skid marks on the road about 20 feet before the tree. A witness told police that Reed had passed him on Bay Road and then lost control of the vehicle.

Jonathan’s brother Anthony Reed, was driving ahead of him when the accident happened, said Easton Police Chief Allen Krajcik. The speed limit is 40 mph on Bay Road and 35 mph in the curves, he said.

Mike Siegal, 26, lives on Bay Road. The accident happened nearly at the end of his driveway.

“I was in the house when I heard a loud bang,” he said. “I thought someone hit the neighbor’s dog.” Siegal walked down the driveway and first saw the bumper of Reed’s car in the street. “There are a lot of accidents on this street,” Siegal said. “People fly around the curve.”

Multiple 911 calls came pouring in after the accident, said Easton Fire Lt. Evan Malone, the shift commander Tuesday night. Bay Road was shut down in both directions for three hours as the Easton Police Department and the State Police Crash Reconstruction Team investigated the accident.

“We get a lot of calls on Bay Road and had some significant accidents in that area,” Malone said. “It’s a bad stretch of road with curves.”

Wednesday morning three friends of Reed’s stopped by the crash site. “He was my best friend,” said Michael Garrant, 19, of Berkley. Ryan Frade, 18, also of Berkley, and Mitchell Garrant, 17, Michael’s brother, looked at the remainder of the accident scene on Bay Road.

“We just graduated last year,” Frade said. The three played football together at Somerset Berkley Regional High School. Reed played running back and defensive tackle. According to his friends, Reed was working at Stop & Shop and wanted to get his landscaping business going full-time.

“He was the most loving kid,” Michael Garrant said. Frade, who lives near Reed’s family, saw Jonathan just a couple of weeks ago. “He was stopping by to visit his mom, I gave him a hug,” Frade said. “He was one of the best kids.”

Garrant first heard about the news of Jonathan Reed’s death on Twitter Tuesday morning. “I saw a message that said ‘RIP J.R.’ and I couldn’t believe it.”

On Facebook, Maria Reed, Jonathan’s sister, posted a message Tuesday. “Big sisters aren’t supposed to see the day their little brother passes,” she wrote. “I will never understand the way God works but it’s taking everything in me to try. Jonny Reed I love you so much, rest in the absolute sweetest peace.”